Loom sword



March 19, 1963 R. MASON, JR., ETAL 3,081,799

LOOM SWORD Filed Aug. 15, 1960 ATTORNEY United States 53,081,799 LUDMSWORD Roy Mason, J12, Box 63, Qateechee, SAQ, and Berry W. Green, 149Cumberland Ave, Easley, 5.6. Filed Aug. 15, 1960, Ser. No. 49,498Claims. ((11. 139-188) This invention relates to textile looms and moreespecially to an improved loom sword.

This invention is concerned among other things with the problem ofaligning the reed cap of a loom so that the reed wires may be adjustedto proper vertical alignment. In adjusting the reed wires an adjustmentis first made so that the lay, carrying the lower reed frame, is inproper longitudinal alignment with the loom. The next step is to assurethe proper vertical alignment of the reed wires by applying a square tothe lay of the loom. Such adjustment has formerly been accomplished byemploying a rasp to reduce the back portion of the reed cap adjacent thesword. This operation requires that the loom be stopped for a longperiod of time,

and if too much wood is removed from the reed cap,

it is necessary to place a shim between the reed cap and the sword,whereas, if too little is removed it is necessary to again remove thereed cap and further reduce the portion adjacent the sword. Because ofthis difficult, makeshift, inaccurate method of keeping the reed square,very often looms are operated with the reed out of proper alignment,thus increasing wear on shuttles, causing a poor quality of cloth to beproduced and placing an undue strain on all of the loom parts because ofthe binding resulting from the reed being out of alignment.

Accordingly, it is an object of this invention to pro .vide an improvedloom sword.

Another object of this invention is to simplify the problem of reedalignment.

An important object of this invention is the provision of an improvedsword having an adjustable. upper portion so as to facilitate reedalignment.

Another object of this invention is to provide a loom sword having anadjustable and removable upper portion so that should the upper portionbe damaged, it may be replaced without the necessity of replacing theentire sword.

Another object of the invention is to provide a loom sword facilitatinga precise adjustment for loom reed alignment so that wear on otherportions of the loom and its accessories will be reduced.

Still another object of the invention is to reduce down time resultingfrom the operation of reed alignment and improve the quality of clothproduced by the loom.

The construction designed to carry out the invention will be hereinafterdescribed, together with other features thereof.

The invention will be more readily understood from a reading of thefollowing specification and by reference to the accompanying drawingforming a part thereof, wherein an example of the invention is shown andwherein:

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of a loom, with parts omitted and partsbroken away, illustrating a loom sword constructed in accordance withthe present invention.

FIGURE 2 is an enlarged side elevation of the loom sword looking fromthe left-hand side of FIGURE 1, and

FIGURE 3 is a plan view of the loom sword illustrated in FIGURE 2.

Referring more particularly to the drawing, a loom frame is illustratedat 10. A loom sword having an upper adjustable portion A and a lowerportion B is illustrated positioned adjacent the lower end thereof uponthe usual rocker shaft of the loom. Means generally indicated at C areprovided for positioning the upper A upon the lower portion B in slidingengagement so 3,981,799 Patented Mar. 19, 1953 Him? that the upperportion may be moved transversely of the loom. A threaded means D isprovided for positively positioning the upper portion A during suchadjustment and fastening means E are provided for fixing the upperportion with respect to the lower portion after an adjustment has beenmade. Thus, by adjustment of the upper portion A transversely withrespect to the loom, the reed may be adjusted for proper verticalalignment in a very short period of time.

The lower portion of the loom sword B is illustrated in FIGURE 1 asbeing connected to the loom rocker shaft 11, which is longitudinallydisposed in the usual manner adjacent the lower portion of the loomframe 10. The lower portion of the loom sword B has a split bearing 12,having an integral portion 12a and a removable portion 1% which issecured to the integral portion as by bolts 13 for securing same infixed relation to the shaft 11. A rocking motion is imparted to thelower portion B of the loom sword so as to oscillate back and forthduring the weaving operation.

The lower portion B includes a shank 14, which extends upwardly andcarries the lay 15 within a suitable mounting 16. The race plate 15a,together with the lay wood 15b define a groove, 15c which carries thelower reed frame 17. The positioning of the lower reed frame 17 isrelatively simple because the lay may be easily adjusted so as to be inproper longitudinal alignment with the loom. The invention is largelyconcerned with an improvement in the sword making easy verticaladjustment of the reed wires 18 possible.

The upper reed frame 19 is positioned within an arcuate groove 2% withinthe lower portion. of the reed cap 21. The reed cap 21 is secured oneach side thereof by a bolt 22 passing through the reed cap and througha vertical slot 23 in the upper portion A of the loom sword and has awing nut 24 threaded thereon.

Vertical adjustment of the reed wires 18 is accomplished by a transverseadjustment of the upper portion A of the loom sword. Such adjustment isaccomplished by means C which is illustrated as including a support 25carried by the lower portion B. The support 25 has a substantiallyhorizontal flat surface 25a. A base 26 is carried by the upper portion Aand has a fiat horizontal surface in sliding engagement with the surface25a. It will be noted that the surface 25:: also defines a groove 25b toaccommodate a tongue 26b to thus form a tongue and groove joint betweenthe upper portion A and the lower portion B of the loom sword. Thesupport 25 carries an abutment 27 spaced therefrom and integrally joinedthereto by a rearward projection 27:: which is integral with the support25. The abutment 27 carries a transverse horizontally disposed threadedmember 28 therein. The threaded member 28 is threaded into the base 26as at 28a and is suitably fixed therein as by the pin 2%. By propermanipulation of the nuts 29 the upper portion A may be positivelyadjusted through the means C.

In order to assure that the base 26 is positively positioned upon thesupport 25, so as not to be moved by vibration occurring during weaving,a pair of aligned bolts 38 pass through transverse slots 31 ca1ried bythe base 25 into the support 25. Suitable washers 32 and lock washers32a are provided to fix the position of bolts 30.

A precision vertical adjustment of the reed wires 18 is made possible byplacing a square upon the race place 15a and making suitable transverseadjustment of the upper portion A of the loom sword as just described.Some of the important reasons for making an accurate vertical adjustmentof the reed are stated above and it is evident that this operation canbe carried out easily and quickly by adjustment of the nuts 29 and thebolts 555 39. If the upper portion A of the sword becomes damaged, thisportion may be removed quickly and easily Without the necessity ofreplacing the entire sword.

While a preferred embodiment of the invention has been described usingspecific terms, such description is for illustrative purposes only, andit is to be understood that changes and variations may be made withoutdeparting from the spirit or scope of the following claims.

What is claimed is:

l. A sword for a loom having a lay and a reed cap including, a lowerportion accommodating the lay to which a rocking motion is imparted bythe loom, an upper portion accommodating the reed cap, said upperportion having a base with a fiat lower surface, means having acorresponding flat surface carried by the lower portion so as to mountthe upper portion upon the lower portion in sliding engagement therewithfor movement transversely with respect to the loom, and means fasteningthe upper portion to the lower portion, whereby the reed may be adjustedto proper vertical alignment by adjustment of the upper portion.

2. The structure set forth in claim 1, in which said means mounting theupper portion upon the lower portion includes a horizontal surfacecarried by the lower portion, and a horizontal surface carried by theupper portion in sliding engagement with said first mentioned horizontalsurface and a tongue and groove connection between said upper and lowersurfaces.

3. The structure set forth in claim 2, in which transverse threadedmeans connect the upper and lower portions for adjusting and positivelypositioning the upper portion upon said lower portion.

4. The structure set forth in claim 3, in which said fastening meansinclude bolts passing through elongated transverse slots in said upperportion into said lower portion.

5. A sword for a loom having a lay and reed including, a lower portionaccommodating the lay to which a rocking motion is imparted by the loom,an upper portion accommodating the reed cap positioned upon the lowerportion, a base having a substantially horizontal flat surface fixedupon the upper portion, a support having a substantially horizontal flatsurface fixed upon the lower portion, said base being mounted in slidingengagement with the support for movement transversely with respectto'the loom, and means fastening the base to the support, whereby thereed may be adjusted to proper vertical alignment by adjustment of theupper portion.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS517,269 Draper Mar. 27, 1894 FOREIGN PATENTS 775,869 France Oct. 22,1934

1. A SWORD FOR A LOOM HAVING A LAY AND A REED CAP INCLUDING, A LOWERPORTION ACCOMMODATING THE LAY TO WHICH A ROCKING MOTION IS IMPARTED BYTHE LOOM, AN UPPER PORTION ACCOMMODATING THE REED CAP, SAID UPPERPORTION HAVING A BASE WITH A FLAT LOWER SURFACE, MEANS HAVING ACORRESPONDING FLAT SURFACE CARRIED BY THE LOWER PORTION SO AS TO MOUNTTHE UPPER PORTION UPON THE LOWER PORTION IN SLIDING ENGAGEMENT THEREWITHFOR MOVEMENT TRANSVERSELY WITH RESPECT TO THE LOOM, AND MEANS FASTENINGTHE UPPER PORTION TO THE LOWER PORTION, WHEREBY THE REED MAY BE ADJUSTEDTO PROPER VERTICAL ALIGNMENT BY ADJUSTMENT OF THE UPPER PORTION.